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Can't say for all styles, but in Yoshinkan it's hard to get Kote Gaeshi unless you can get uke to take at least one step. There is a noteable exception, because Kote Gaeshi is one of the few techniques we have that can be applied from the inside. That works at contact distance, but it's a harsh one to practice.

Maybe we are doing it wrong- we usually take uke on a short trip before his fall. We drag him out a step past his balance on Ichi (linear) techniques and halfway around the block on Ni (turning). They get sick of going one direction just in time for the punch in the face and reversal.

Maybe we are doing it wrong- we usually take uke on a short trip before his fall. We drag him out a step past his balance on Ichi (linear) techniques and halfway around the block on Ni (turning). They get sick of going one direction just in time for the punch in the face and reversal.

I prefer a real dojo with a live body myself. Come visit us the weekend of 10/18-19 for our annual seminar here in Sacramento.

Me, too. But I have been trying to get to California for 20 years and haven't made it yet. I get as far as the Rocky mountains and my vacation time just leaks away.

Thank you for the invitation. We have hosted Robert Mustard, Joe Thambu and Jim Jeannette Senseis. Amos Parker Shihan used to come to Indianapolis sometimes, but we will not be taking those lessons again, sadly. That was all before Kit Hathaway Sensei transferred to Atlanta, GA. So we will probably be travelling for training from here out. I would love to have your signature on my Yoshinkan Card.

Me, too. But I have been trying to get to California for 20 years and haven't made it yet. I get as far as the Rocky mountains and my vacation time just leaks away.

Thank you for the invitation. We have hosted Robert Mustard, Joe Thambu and Jim Jeannette Senseis. Amos Parker Shihan used to come to Indianapolis sometimes, but we will not be taking those lessons again, sadly. That was all before Kit Hathaway Sensei transferred to Atlanta, GA. So we will probably be travelling for training from here out. I would love to have your signature on my Yoshinkan Card.

Visited Kit earlier this year. But this is about kotogaeshi so I won't hijack the thread. You're welcome anytime you can make it.

Maybe we are doing it wrong- we usually take uke on a short trip before his fall. We drag him out a step past his balance on Ichi (linear) techniques and halfway around the block on Ni (turning). They get sick of going one direction just in time for the punch in the face and reversal.

Guess I don't have to explain ichi and ni to you, Miranda Sensei!

Do you atemi or something else to "break his intent" before you try to lead him off balance?

Do you atemi or something else to "break his intent" before you try to lead him off balance? Because I think sometimes atemi puts uke back on balance.

Yeah, that can happen. We typically use two atemis in Kote Gaeshi- One on the entry and one after the turn (whether it's a pivot or body change). I believe the rationale is that most people are going to recoil from a strong strike to the face, which begins the kuzushi. Another reason may be that it gives them something to think about while you are getting your wristlock firmed up.

Isn't the purpose of the wrist twist to lock the wrist up and take out the slack so you can use it to connect to the core (via the elbow then shoulder, etc), more or less? In which case uke making their wrist stiff does part of your work for you and you can just skip that step...?? Why would it make it harder?

Isn't the purpose of the wrist twist to lock the wrist up and take out the slack so you can use it to connect to the core (via the elbow then shoulder, etc), more or less? In which case uke making their wrist stiff does part of your work for you and you can just skip that step...?? Why would it make it harder?

Not sure if you're asking me, but here's my opinion just in case: That is more true of Nikka jo/Nikyo, but regardless, don't skip any steps. I believe Kote Gaeshi is translated as more of a "forearm return" than a wrist twist, if a concept is helpful to you.

No matter what he does, commit to the completion of the technique. If uke tenses his arm and wrist, that usually means he is going to sit down and roll, instead of taking the full breakfall. IMO, that's a good way to practice it because it's probably going to turn out that way more often (with non-ukes).

Yeah, that can happen. We typically use two atemis in Kote Gaeshi- One on the entry and one after the turn (whether it's a pivot or body change). I believe the rationale is that most people are going to recoil from a strong strike to the face, which begins the kuzushi. Another reason may be that it gives them something to think about while you are getting your wristlock firmed up.

Bill,

I am a little confused about your description of dual atemi in kotegaeshi. I have two questions for you; which kotegaeshi variations are you using two atemi (please just list them via your dojo terminology), and do all your kotegeashi #2 involve an atemi before pivoting?

Do you atemi or something else to "break his intent" before you try to lead him off balance?

Because I think sometimes atemi puts uke back on balance.

I feel like if you hit someone in the face with your atemi they will probably not be put back in balance, rather that can create a 'suki' or gap in their balance that can create an opportunity for nage to exploit and safely make their first movement. Granted we don't want to hit someone in the face so stoutly they move too much. When they, hopefully, block I like to drive my atemi into the block to start taking them off balance. I always atemi for the face/eyes because it obfuscates uke's vision and, when they block, you can drive your hand into their blocking hand...thus pushing his head/shoulder girdle area behind his hips. This is also why I always telegraph my atemi...which gets uke thinking about that atemi vice what you are really trying to play with.

But I agree that atemi can disrupt the flow of a technique if applied incorrectly, effectively putting uke back in balance. I feel like atemi is often overlooked in teaching and students just apply it a la 'monkey see monkey do' without understanding the how and why of its mechanics.

I will have to think about whether this is an all-inclusive rule. I'll stipulate to an exception, since there is always at least one. But yes, we almost always use two atemis in Kote Gaeshi. When we intercept an attack*, we backfist to the face (I prefer the pie-in-the-face, personally), then again right before we execute the throw. This keeps a hostile uke from punching us after the return, or pivot. Also, it gives us a moment to make sure we have the kote.

Isn't the purpose of the wrist twist to lock the wrist up and take out the slack so you can use it to connect to the core (via the elbow then shoulder, etc), more or less? In which case uke making their wrist stiff does part of your work for you and you can just skip that step...?? Why would it make it harder?

Not everyone applies kotegaishi in this manner. Some practitioners treat it more in a manner which I would call kokyunage, where they are drawing uke's wrist away from their center, then about/above shoulder height, then out away and down. Hard to explain, and rough to fall from.

Generally I apply wrist manipulations in the manner you are talking about (vice pain compliance). A good training tool is having your uke stand, make a fist, stand statically, and hold their arm solidly as you try to apply kotegaeshi. You probably won't be able to get everyone in your dojo, but its good training and helps understand how the actual technique works. This is interesting practice because you will (or should) meet much resistance and failure while expending a lot of effort. When playing around with your micro-adjustments, you will happen upon the 'sweet spot' (to borrow a term from the nikkyo thread) and uke will drop unexpectedly, quickly, and effortlessly.

I will have to think about whether this is an all-inclusive rule. I'll stipulate to an exception, since there is always at least one. But yes, we almost always use two atemis in Kote Gaeshi. When we intercept an attack*, we backfist to the face (I prefer the pie-in-the-face, personally), then again right before we execute the throw. This keeps a hostile uke from punching us after the return, or pivot. Also, it gives us a moment to make sure we have the kote.

*For most ichi techniques, Shite initiates with an atemi.

Got it, you are counting shomenuchi dai ichi as an atemi.

Quick question before we get too 'in the weeds.' For (kihon waza) Shomenuchi Kotegaeshi dai ni, are you initiating with a front strike to uke before your pivot shift, or are you pivoting and blending with uke's strike as you make your initial pivot shift? I just looked at some clips online and I'm seeing some variances. The second part of the technique all looks congruent; the slide out, pivot, atemi, pivot, throw...I just mean the first part (of #2).

I feel like if you hit someone in the face with your atemi they will probably not be put back in balance, rather that can create a 'suki' or gap in their balance that can create an opportunity for nage to exploit and safely make their first movement. Granted we don't want to hit someone in the face so stoutly they move too much. When they, hopefully, block I like to drive my atemi into the block to start taking them off balance. I always atemi for the face/eyes because it obfuscates uke's vision and, when they block, you can drive your hand into their blocking hand...thus pushing his head/shoulder girdle area behind his hips. This is also why I always telegraph my atemi...which gets uke thinking about that atemi vice what you are really trying to play with.

But I agree that atemi can disrupt the flow of a technique if applied incorrectly, effectively putting uke back in balance. I feel like atemi is often overlooked in teaching and students just apply it a la 'monkey see monkey do' without understanding the how and why of its mechanics.

See my point is, if you are applying a kuzushi such that their heads are going BACK, then that's not appropriate for a technique where you need their weight to go forward, such as an ura/tenkan kotegaeshi.

Quick question before we get too 'in the weeds.' For (kihon waza) Shomenuchi Kotegaeshi dai ni, are you initiating with a front strike to uke before your pivot shift, or are you pivoting and blending with uke's strike as you make your initial pivot shift? I just looked at some clips online and I'm seeing some variances. The second part of the technique all looks congruent; the slide out, pivot, atemi, pivot, throw...I just mean the first part (of #2).

Thanks again!

For Shomenuchi ni (where uke initiates), we use both hands to intecept, so we have to forego that strike. The upper hand tegatanas the shomenuchi and the bottom hand catches the elbow. Then (for kotegaeshi ni) we pivot, bring uke around, reverse direction (another pivot) and strike, then cut the kotegaeshi down/through as we do the final pivot.

If it were Yokomenuchi ni, for instance, we'd intercept with one hand and atemi with the other, then proceed.

Last edited by Bill Danosky : 10-16-2013 at 11:05 AM.
Reason: more specific

Not everyone applies kotegaishi in this manner. Some practitioners treat it more in a manner which I would call kokyunage, where they are drawing uke's wrist away from their center, then about/above shoulder height, then out away and down. Hard to explain, and rough to fall from.

To me this still sounds like what I said, using the hand to move the body, via the other joints in the arm. It doesn't sound like it should be hampered by a stiff wrist. ?

I sprained my thumb once and spent a month or so in a wrist splint, and a lot of people had no trouble doing kotegaeshi on me - more than one different kind of kotegaeshi, with some requiring big breakfalls and others going more straight down. As long as they were trying to move me and not just make me go 'ow', it worked fine.

See my point is, if you are applying a kuzushi such that their heads are going BACK, then that's not appropriate for a technique where you need their weight to go forward, such as an ura/tenkan kotegaeshi.

In Judo, we often initiate the reverse of our intention. Most opponents will oppose, and there you go.

In Judo, we often initiate the reverse of our intention. Most opponents will oppose, and there you go.

Right, you get someone to go back, they often naturally rock forward. IE driving in for kosoto gari and as he rocks back forward to regain balance slip into tomoe nage...or some such nonsense like that.

For Shomenuchi ni (where uke initiates), we use both hands to intecept, so we have to forego that strike. The upper hand tegatanas the shomenuchi and the bottom hand catches the elbow. Then (for kotegaeshi ni) we pivot, bring uke around, reverse direction (another pivot) and strike, then cut the kotegaeshi down/through as we do the final pivot.

If it were Yokomenuchi ni, for instance, we'd intercept with one hand and atemi with the other, then proceed.

Ok, that's the way I was taught but I was watching some clips of Takeno Sensei and it seemed like he was initiating dai ni with shomenuchi. Basically I couldn't tell if it was uke or nage initiating the first movement. That being said, it was an instructional video that was filmed at very slow, film-study, speed.

Ok, that's the way I was taught but I was watching some clips of Takeno Sensei and it seemed like he was initiating dai ni with shomenuchi. Basically I couldn't tell if it was uke or nage initiating the first movement. That being said, it was an instructional video that was filmed at very slow, film-study, speed.

I haven't seen the film, but if it was Takeno Sensei, he will very likely have uke initiating a ni technique. But honestly, I think it's just a training protocol, so we look like we know what we're doing in a demo. If you are Yoshinkan, too, you know we ALWAYS do things a certain way, except when it's different.

It's probably best not to practice technique outside the dojo on friends, unless they are receptive and you are fairly advanced. They may not be prepared, might not know when to slap out, may not know how to get out of a hold or lock, and aren't dressed for taking falls or on a soft surfaced floor. If you do want to show friends, I suggest just showing them the power but not doing it hard. You can hurt someone!
As far as for effectiveness, you're losing the element of timing since they never attacked you I'm assuming. If I was going to show an outsider something, I'd probably show them the Sankyo position and let them tighten it up if they want to.

Taught to military and police for close combat. Grab the wrist and lower to your belly button, roll your hand over the other persons hand so their index finger touches their wrist. Watch them drop to there knees instantly. The more pressure you apply the lower your subject becomes.This technique is easy to learn, apply and very effective on all size persons strong or week. No need to unbalance or Atemi which wastes time anyway. Just my opinion.